Must We "Walk a Mile in Their Moccasins"?

"Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their moccasins."(1)

This American proverb is a good reminder to treat others as we'd want to be treated (Matthew 7:12), judge ourselves before judging others (Matthew 7:1-4), and judge biblically based on facts, not hearsay.

But we need not walk a mile in someone's moccasins to comfort them when they're hurting. 

Sometimes we avoid people who are suffering because we haven't experienced their pain. But comfort doesn't have the same requirements as judging. 

When we go through struggles and experience God's comfort, we can share that comfort with anyone who is struggling:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

So let's be careful not to judge things we don't fully understand, and let's be confident to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15).

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To avoid misunderstandings about Matthew 7:1-4, read Judge Not Scripture Out of Context. and How, Who, and What to Judge According to Scripture. 

For more insights on comforting others, see Romans 12:15: Rejoice and Mourn. 

Footnotes:  

(1) Contrary to popular opinion, this isn't a Native American proverb. It became popular because of the poem "Walk a Mile in His Moccasins" written in 1895 by Mary T. Lathrap.